


Of Ink and Roses

by CasanovaStrider



Category: Homestuck
Genre: John/Dave - Freeform, M/M, tattoo and flower shop au, will add characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-31
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-04-18 08:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4698401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasanovaStrider/pseuds/CasanovaStrider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off the prompt, Muse A works at a tattoo shop, and Muse B works across the street in a flower shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boy Across the Street

**Author's Note:**

> Another John Dave story yayyyyy!

It was a breezy spring day when the mayhem of his head began. Always just the thought of that boy across the street. He noticed the way he would sometimes glance over, or at least, he thought he did. He couldn't be to sure. The boy always wore sunglasses for some reason. Inside and outside. Rain or shine. It didn't bother John though. 

John looks away from the window when Rose walks in. 

"Good morning, John. Still eyeballing that boy huh?" She says, walking over to her station. John laughs sheepishly.

"you caught me. Yeah, he is just really mysterious. He looks so cool yet he works in a flower shop." He says, starting to mix inks. 

"well from what he has told me, its for 'ironic purposes'." Rose air quotes. 

"Wait you've talked to him before?" John asks, looking over to her. 

"Mhmm. Bought flowers for Kanaya the other day. He does a really good job taking care of the flowers. They are all really stunning." She tells him.

"Did you catch his name?" John asks a bit urgently. Rose smiles.

"of course. How could I not, knowing my best friend is obsessed over him?" She teases. 

"Roseee just tell me his name." He whines. Rose chuckles at his childish antics. 

"His name is David. He prefers Dave, though I call him David anyway. Dave Strider." Rose tells him.

"Dave Strider.... What a cool name..." 

"Yes well, dont tell him that because you will just inflate his ego." She says as if she were teasing Dave herself.

"well I wasn't going too. He may think im a dork." 

"he already does." Rose says matter of factly. 

"What?!" He asks, whipping his head around to her. 

"Mhmm. He asked me, 'Who is the kid who always stares over here? He works with you yeah?' I told him that yes we work together and I told him your name. He said 'John Egbert? Is that even a real name?'. I told him yes. 'well tell him to stop staring and come over if he wants to talk. I dont do sex on the first date though. Dinner is a must.'." Rose explains the conversation, mocking what must be Daves voice. John blushes deeply. 

"I cant go over there if he knows! Rose what do I do???!!!" He asks. 

"you suck it up and go talk to him. He was just teasing, Johnathan. He isn't serious. He just taunts to cover his embarrassment." She waves him off. John bites his lip. 

"you sure?" He asks. 

"mhmm. He is just another dork with braces. Just like you." She smiles. 

"he wears braces...?" 

"mhmm. Says he got them recently so he can have a pants dropping smile. Not that he smiles much to begin with." She says. "he is nice though. So go talk to him on break. For now, we have work just like him." She says as a customer walks in. 

"yeah okay...." He says, going about his job and giving people beautifully designed art for their skin.  
\-----------

"Dave stop looking over there! You want him to come over or not?" Jade scolded.

"yeah yeah, I cant help it if he keeps staring at me though." He complains. 

"well he just thinks your cute. So just give him time." She says, arranging flowers in a vase. He sighs. 

"yeah okay. He still looks like a nerd." He says, clipping the thorns off of the roses. 

"and your not?" Jade teases. He huffs. 

"whatever.... At least I dont look like it..." He says muttering to himself. 

"you look like one to me!" Jade says. 

"Says you! You look like a nerd too Harley." He says teasingly. 

"I do not!" 

"you so do though." He retorts. Jade huffs. 

"Whatever!! Just finish those roses already you've been de-thorning them all morning!" 

"Well excuse me princess." He rolls his eyes and finishes them up before Jade bit his head off for it.


	2. Flowers Have Meanings Behind Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter because im off of work for a little bit ~~~~~

John looks at the clock. 1:30PM. _Finally._

"Rose I'm going on break!" he calls. Rose peaks around from the storage room.

"Okay, go woo your man. But I will call you if it gets to busy in here." she tells him.

"Okay okay. And I'm not going to ' _woo_ ' him. I'm going to politely say hello, maybe buy a flower so I don't look odd, and then maybe get his number." he shrugs, grabbing his keys. "I will be back soon." he leaves as Rose waves him off.

John quickly jogs across the street to the bright and happy flower shop. He was nervous as all get out, but he was excited. He wanted to meet the mysterious flower boy really badly so he squashed the nervous feeling in his gut and walked inside.

The smell of flowers immediately hit him, which was definitely a different smell from ink. It was almost overwhelming, but it was refreshing.

"Well if it isn't the stranger from across the way." he hears a voice and looks to it immediately. Dave sat there, legs propped up on the counter as he flipped through his phone. John thought he look better up close and his voice was so much better then what rose made it out to be.

"I-I uh... yeah..." John rubs the back of his neck.

"So you finally came over to check the goods up close huh?" he teases with a small grin as he put his phone down. He stands up and walks up to him. John notes that he is shorter then he thought, but only a little bit.

"Well your definitely better up close then through a window..." John tells him. Dave smiles somewhat bashfully but covers it up with confidence.

"Well you know what they say about window shopping. It's better to get up close and personal." Dave says, placing a hand on a hip. John notes that Dave was wearing a black apron over a white button up and black skinny jeans. His shoes looked like five year old red converses. Obviously well loved and well worn.

John laughs at Dave's joke. Dave decides that his laugh was his favorite sound. "Well that's true. I'm glad I finally worked up the nerve to come in here." he admits. Dave nods.

"Me too. John right?" he says. Like he could forget. He back up and hoists himself up so he was sitting on the counter. John nods.

"And your Dave yeah?" he asks. As if he didn't know. Dave nods. 

"So John, was I everything you were expecting?" He asks, picking up a rose and turned it between his fingers and smelled it.

"Everything and more..." he says softly. Dave looks at him, seemingly surprised at the answer. The only John knew that was because his eyebrows rose over the frame of his glasses.

"Well, I'm glad I could make a good impression." Dave says with a small nod. John nods back.

"I hope Rose didn't spoil my image to you." John chuckles. Dave shakes his head.

"Nah not at all. I actually thought you would be dorkier. Boy was I right." He smirks. John blushes slightly.

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said." Dave tells him, hoping off the counter and walking around it to sit in his chair. John walks over and leans his elbows on the surface of said counter.

"That so?" John asks, leaning close. Dave nods, pushing his shades up. 

"That is indeed so." he grins.

"Hmm... Why are you wearing sunglasses inside? Its cloudy outside too." John inquires. Dave hums.

"Well, I like to be anonymous. Not to mention these are polarized. I need them to like, see and junk." Dave says. "If I need glasses imma look cool too."

"I'm pretty sure the braces make that impossible." John teases.

"Well I look cooler than you don't I?" Dave smirks.

"Haha, well that may be true." Dave nods a bit. "So... Flowers huh?" John asks.

"Yeah. My Mom owned the shop. She asked me to take over when she got to old too." Dave says with a shrug.

"She can't be that old can she?" John asks. Dave looked no older than himself after all.

"No... She is dead. Father too. Died in a car crash last year." Dave says. John was stunned silent. After a few beats of silence Dave pushes his glasses up. "But it's okay now... Me and my older brother make enough money together to live comfortably.... of course he wants me to let this place go, saying its an unnecessary upkeep. But..." Dave brushes his hand over some white daisies on the shelf carefully. "... I feel like I would be letting her down." he says softly. John blinks slightly and reaches over, placing a hand over Dave's. Dave looked up at him slightly surprised. The sun hit his face enough to where John could see his eyes. A brown color it seemed. He could see his eyes glisten with grief that he has yet to go through.

"Your doing a good job. She would be proud of you." John tells him gently. Dave bites the inside of his cheek.

"...Thanks John." he says softly. John smiles gently.

"Just the truth." he tells him.

They smile at each other and they both knew.

_'I'm going to fall in love with this guy.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dave may or may not be telling the whole truth
> 
> find out next time~
> 
> reviews make it easier to write


	3. A First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYYYYYY UPDATE YASSSs
> 
> This chapter is a lot of dialog. But I enjoy writing the two talking soooo yeah.
> 
> i'm lazy i'm so sorry. I'm starting a schedule though. Every Thursday I will update this Fic until its finished. If i'm busy on that Thursday I will update the day before or the day after. This will start next week unless I update on a whim tomorrow. 
> 
> ENJOY R&R

After their lovely little chat at the flower shop, John asked Dave out for some coffee once they closed up that night. 

Here it is, 9:00pm, time to close up. John was nervous, that much was obvious. Rose rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day.

"Will you calm down? He is a bigger dork than you are. He isn't going to bite you with those tracks of his." she says, cleaning her kit.

"Haha. Well, I hope not. It is a first date after all... And I'm pretty sure our braces would get stuck together... Wait do you think he thinks its a date?" John asks.

"He thinks its coffee with the guy across the street. So go on, stop making him wait. I'll lock up." She smiles.

"Oh, okay. Thanks Rose I owe you!" He grabs his coat and darts out the door. Rose laughs softly. 

_'You'd think he was a 15 year old...'_ she thinks as she closes up.

* * *

 

"So _just_ coffee?" Jade asks.

"Yes Harley. _Just_ coffee." Dave says for what felt like the 20th time that afternoon.

"Well it's a start I guess." She sighs. Dave just shakes his head and continues watering the flowers. 

"Oh look here he comes!" Jade says. Dave jumps slightly at her sudden out burst. He shoves the watering can into her arms as he unties the apron. 

_'So he is nervous~'_ Jade thinks with a smile as he rushes around. He gives her the keys. 

"Lock up for me tonight." he says before grabbing his jacket.

"Will do~! Bye see you tomorrow!" She calls as he walks out. 

 

* * *

Dave comes out of the store and John smiles.         

"Hey." Dave says cool, cool as cucumbers. 

"Hey yourself." John says back. "Ready to go?" Dave nods and they begin walking.

"So how are you seeing right now? It's dark out." John asks.

"I'm used to it." Dave shrugs.

"That so? Cool day or night huh?" John teases.

"You got that right." Dave grins. John laughs softly.

"So do you live near by?" John asks. Dave nods.

"I live in the apartments behind the shop. So I just walk there everyday." He shrugs. "You?"

"I live in those apartments too." He smiles, trying not to sound to excited.

"Oh? What floor?" 

"The second one. What floor do you live on?"

"The Top." 

"You _own_ the flat?" John asks, surprised.

"Yeah. Well, my brother does. I just mooch." He shrugs. He was 21 after all. He should move out but, he figured his brother would miss him too much.

"That so? So you have access to the roof?" John asks.

"Yeah. I grow flowers up there." He nods. "Bro thinks it's girly but he doesn't mind. He knows it makes me happy." He shrugs.

"It must be pretty to watch the sunset up there." He sighs.

"It is. You should come watch sometime." Dave invites.

"You wouldn't mind?" He asks. 

"Nah. I'm a photographer. I know a beautiful sunset when I see one." he grins. "You'd enjoy it." 

"Thanks, I'll take you up on that offer." John smiles. "so photography?"

"Yeah, It's what I'm in college for." Dave nods.

"Oh? Is that your major or minor?"

"It would have been my major, but I need the business class more. If it wasn't for Jade, I wouldn't have any idea how to run the shop." Dave admits. "Though I have gotten better. I still have the manual my mom made, and the green room works really well out back. And the class helps me file taxes and such."   Dave explains. 

"Wow... your pretty incredible." John says. Dave looks up at him. 

"You think?"

"Yeah. You are full of surprises." John nods.

"hmm... well how about you? Surely you aren't _just_ a tattoo artist." Dave says.

"No, I play piano sometimes at the jazz club." John smiles.

"Piano huh? I played flute in high school." Dave tells him. John laughs.

"Really? The flute?" He asks.

"Yup. First chair. I have medals and the flute to prove it." He laughs. "Bro said flute was ironic for a boy to play, so naturally I rocked it."

They pause in their conversation to order their coffee. They pick a table to sit at, one in the corner, and continued to talk. 

* * *

 

"So when do you get yours off?" Dave asks, gesturing to his mouth.

"In a month thank god." He laughs. "How about yours?"

"In a year. I just got them two months ago." He shrugs.

"Oh? Your teeth look pretty straight though."

"Yeah two of them are fake. I had surgery after a fight and got permanent replacements. The braces are to make sure they grow into my gums without being disturbed."

"A fight huh? Over what?" John asks. 

"Some shit talker. He was hitting on Harley. You know the girl I work with? Well I've known her since high school so I stepped in. She looked hella uncomfortable. So I told him to back off and leave the shop. He was apparently drunk. He went and hit her, breaking her glasses. That was it for me. I swung, punched him in the stomach. Turns out this guy was stronger than he looked. He grabbed the back of my head, by my hair? While I was helping Jade stand. So he grabs me, and slams my face into the counter. Broke my teeth, nose, glasses, cracked the glass counter. Harley Jumped him. Bit him if you can believe that. Hard too. Someone had apparently called the cops because of the noise." He shrugs.

"I called the cops... I had no idea that is what happened.." John says. Dave nods.

"Yeah I went to the hospital. Stitches here." He pushes up his bangs to show a small scar. "Only three but still. My two front teeth are fake, and my nose healed well." Indeed it had. It didn't have a bump or anything. 

"Wow... was Jade okay?" 

"Yeah, busted nose but nothing to worry herself about. She was more concerned with me at the time." He smiles slightly.

"Wow. A lot of drama for a flower shop." John hums.

"Yeah I'll say. Bro fucked that guy up though. He showed up before the cops did. He wanted to go out to eat and walked in about the time he slammed my face on the counter." Dave recalls. "So after Jade bit him he slammed him up against a wall before he could hurt Harley again." Dave sighs. 

"Your brother sounds like a bad ass." John smiles. 

"Yeah we both are martial artists. Doesn't work when your being beat against glass though." He shrugs. "So you play piano? How long you've been doing that?" he asks before sipping his coffee.

"Oh I've been playing since I was... three I think." 

"Three? Child genius?" Dave asks teasingly. John laughs.

"No, my dad played a lot and I wanted to learn too." he tells him. 

"Oh? hm. Not as fun as Child Genius..." Dave says with a sigh.

"Sorry I'm so boring." John grins.

"It's alright. You can't help that. Though I am curious, how did you become a tattoo artist?" Dave asks, looking at him over the rim of his cup. The effect was lost under sunglasses.

"Ah... well I really like art, and when my friend Rose got a tattoo at sixteen I thought, whoa that so cool... and then I just really wanted to be the one that painted permanent pictures on people." John smiles. "Then I ended up getting a few of my own." He pulls up his sleeves. His arms were covered in tattoos. 

"A few? John you have an entire museum on your arms." Dave teased. John laughs.

"Do you have any? Tattoos." Johns asks.

"No, but I have piercings." Dave shrugs.

"Oh? Where at?" John asks. He could see the one on his lip and eyebrow, and the small black gauges on his ears.

"Well, what you see on my face, My belly button, and my hips."

"hips?"

"yeah. It was a dare but I don't regret it." 

"So like... both your hips?" 

"Yeah. Hurt like a bitch but now it just looks good." Dave shrugs. 

"Cool." _Hot as hell is more like it._ John smiles.

"Mhm." He smiles. 

The two end up making small talk for hours until the shop closes. They walked together to the apartments, stood in the elevator together, and said goodbye at the second floor. 

* * *

 

They both checked their phones.

_'How did it go?'_ Rose.

_'SPILL THE DEETS STRIDER'_ Jade.

They sigh, and with a small smile text back,

_'man oh man where do i begin.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -R&R-
> 
> Piercing dave has: http://www.piercingtime.com/images/289/surface-hip-silver-barbell-piercing.jpg


End file.
